The Cinderella Of Rewa

Epilogue

Present Day
New Delhi, India

••••

The third house on the fourteenth floor of the Gulmohar apartments was in a Monday morning frenzy, just like every other house in South Delhi. 

The maid had arrived and had started cleaning up, the cook was making avocado sandwiches for the children's lunch. Omisha bustled around the hall, picking up her children's text books and packing them into their school bags. Her husband had already left for work. She and her kids were running late. But as usual, her two daughters were unbothered. They sat at the dining table and chewed their strawberry cornflakes patiently, while they listened to their grandmother's story.

Shivani and Aparna were only eight and six years old respectively and had already stopped caring about going to school on time or doing their homework. Omisha didn't know what she would do when they became teenagers. To add to it, her mother spoilt them too much. After her dad had died, she had moved in with them and festered her daughters with stories and snacks. The girls were suckers for both. And today morning, Omisha knew her mother was completing  the story that had been going on for almost two weeks now.  It was the story of her mother's own life.

There was no way, the girls would budge.

Nevertheless, Omisha tried, "Ma, they are getting late for school. Send them quickly", she fretted.

"In a minute dear", Vedika replied. She turned to her granddaughters, "Girls, you have to go now".

"So what exactly happened nani? Who saved you?" Shivani asked, completely ignoring her grandmother's last line.

"I told you dear", Vedika said "Some things are supposed to remain a mystery".

"Rewa sounds so cool nani!", Shivani said, "We should go there for vacation".

Vedika laughed, both with joy and sadness, "Today the glamorous and glorious roads of Rewa, no longer exist my dear", she explained remisciently "The city is a shadow of it's former self. The lanes that used to be lined with golden carriages, harnessed to magnificent horses are now dotted with dusty old scooters and bicycles. There is nothing much to see except vendors going about their small businesses. The elite class of Rewa slowly dwindled with all their descendants eventually relocating, either to the busier metropolitan cities or abroad. Most of the mansions  were sold and rebuilt. But..no matter what happens, that city is forever my home. I will always consider myself the Princess of Rewa".

"How can you be a princess?" Aparna giggled "You're old nani. You should be a queen".

"So that's it?", Shivani asked, looking a little disappointed.

"Oh..no, wait I forgot the last bit of the story", Vedika smiled with a twinkle in her eye.

"On the night of the wedding reception, Rewa was a splendid sight. The sky was filled with fireworks, the ground was filled with rangolis and everyone's hearts were filled with warmth and joy. Vedika and Nakul rode down the monumental streets of Rewa on painted elephants led by a procession of musicians, bards and dancers. The next day, they got married. And lived happily ever after."

A/N : AHHHHHHHHHHH!
There's so much I'm feeling right now and so much that I wanna say but right now, all I have is THANK YOU ❤️

Allow me to come with a proper elucidation of everything I still want to share - both inside Vedika's story and outside.

Until next week!

Much love ❤️❤️
Nivetha